I don't want to Recall Funk or Defend the Funk. I don't want to start a race riot or embrace the Minutemen. I don't have any other agenda than the truth and the citizens are not hearing it. The Falling Star isn't doing it the Pitch has gotten lazy and lost credibility. If anyone else is interested -- Let's hear it.
Don't worry about confidentiality. I am a long-time City Hall insider and would be in a whole lot of trouble too.

Thursday, January 24, 2008

Who is Mary Redmond?

Independent Lease Review, Inc. (ILR) is a company owned by Mary Redmond. This is from documents distributed at yesterday's Finance and Audit Committee meeting.

ILR was awarded sole source “no bid” $100,000.00 contract by City.ILR asserts it was awarded this contract based on a 30 second presentation to the City Manager.ILR executed a contract with the City that paid ILR 30% of the “Savings” it found for the City in reviewing leases that were proposed to the City.ILR’s contract authorized one $25,000 advance.ILR received a second $25,000 cash advance without a contract amendment.City Manager directed Departments to utilize ILR.ILR was given a City Lotus Notes e-mail address which showed Mary Redmond was in the City Manager’s Office as opposed to an independent contractor.ILR’s contract was never properly executed by the City.Finance Department rejected the ILR contract in August 2005 because it wasn’t executed by an authorized City person, deficient insurance waiver and needed original copy of the contract.Finance Department’s rejection was 10 months after contract execution.ILR was not authorized to do business in the State of Missouri at the time it executed the contract with the City.ILR originally rejected the proposed contract amendments because Law Department recommended against increasing the hourly rate from $150 to $175 (16% increase) and ILR wanted to increase contingency fee compensation by 33%.On 3/01/06 ILR claimed it was owed an additional $54,456.20.On 3/21/06 ILR lowered its claim to $33,882.81.The Law Department reviewed the “Savings” achieved by ILR.

Lot's of questionable stuff, problem is, I still don't know who Mary Redmond is? Cauthen sure didn't want to talk about it yesterday.

My question would be the statements made by Cauthen. If he hired her on the spot with the understanding that she would be paid a percentage of the cost savings then why was Redmond and Cauthen pressuring finance to pay out when NO savings were verified? The pressure reached nasty, bullying points? Is that why legal was forced to take hand and try to untangle the web of lies and still perform to Cauthen's expectations? He will have covered himself, but in this instance it is very transparent that some one was pushing hard to pay this non existent contract. Who has that kind of authority.....? Not me.